Athletics News

SPOKANE, Wash. - The most successful Zags Golf Classic golf tournament in the 23-years of the event was staged Monday at Manito Golf and Country Club, and the two different formats seemed to score a hole-in-one with those who played.

For the first time in the event's history, a morning two-team best ball was added to the format, with 88 golfers participating. The afternoon session was the traditional scramble, with 154 golfers taking to the course.

"This was a record setting event," said Paul Brown, director of athletic giving. "Golfers really liked the new format in the morning, and the pace of play improved dramatically in the afternoon session form previous years."

"It was a well-run event," Gonzaga athletic director Mike Roth said. "I didn't talk to anyone who didn't have a good time. Our student-athletes also did a tremendous job on the golf course. Having our student-athletes present to interact with our boosters is the one thing that really makes us unique with how we approach this event."

The morning best ball was won by Brian Carney and Tom Cochrane with low gross, while Jennifer Mountain and John Blake took low net honors. Second place went to Mike DeVries and Paul Gauron, with Drew Brooks and Eric Sandberg finishing third.

Closest to the pin on No. 8 went to Zeke Brown, while Tim Fennessy was closest on No. 12. Long putt on the sixth hole went to Ken Johnson, Dick Davis was the accuracy drive champion and Brown captured the long drive.

In the scramble, the team of Randy Cameron, George Garber, Mark Gardner, Mike Hayes and George Talotti won with a score of 47.4. Second place went to the team of John Baldeck, George Cain, Bob Greco, Michael Jackson and Leon Rice with a 47.6. Mike Guthrie, Jared Hertz, Chad Skidmore, Brett Terrell and Jay Underwood were third with a 48.3.

Long putt on No. 6 went to the team of Guthrie, Hertz, Skidmore, Terrell and Underwood. Michael Miles won the accuracy drive and the long drive for men was won by Paul Allen while Jennifer Lutz took the long putt for the women.